End of the epic sailing trip on Sudden Stops in Sydney…

The 600 mile sail down from Bundaberg to Sydney took us through the beautiful sandy straits, gold coast, Laurieton and Pittwater. One low pressure system after another hit the east coast, apparently the worst start to the Aussie summer in 50 years (just our luck!).

Nope, curved masts are not in.. Brit Alex Thompson’s Hugo Boss racing boat is advanced but not that advanced..  After both our digital cameras gave up the ghost, we bought the cheapest digital camera ever.. A Kodak $30 special which had an additional psychedelic feature that we didn’t pay for!

The other side of Hugo Boss was black… I thought that was pretty cool.. (I am easily impressed) As we approached Sydney on the 23rd of Dec, we started seeing many Sydney Hobart race boats practicing before the start on Boxing day.

Approaching Sydney, Glenda excited to see it for the first time!

Approaching the Opera house and harbour bridge! So lucky it wasn’t raining like every other day that week..

“Is that really the Sydney Opera House under the boom?” Anchored in farm cove right next to the opera house and botanical gardens.

The view from astern was also pretty impressive with all the CBD skyscrapers… Our wind generator was apparently going a little psychedelic.. at least according to Kodak.

The view from the dinghy..We were the only boat in the anchorage, and the whole experience especially at night under the skyscrapers with opera house all lit up was one of the most memorable of the whole trip!

Sudden Stops, the Opera House and me, all in one picture…it's all a little too much! We were able to get on to the botanical gardens by securing the dinghy next a break in the wall,  but the park wardens in their speedy golf carts were soon on to us, shooing us away..

Sailing under the Sydney harbour bridge!

We spent Christmas with my friend Connor anchored near his place in Longueville..

Connor slightly skewed by Kodak but happy as we took his wife Lisa and their kids Sophia and Gabriel sailing on Sudden Stops..

On Boxing day we went to see the start of the infamous Sydney Hobart ocean race with friends Connor, Tylney & Clare. Can you spot us anchored in Watsons bay on the top right of this Carlo Borlenghi photo?

This is what our view of the start would have been if we had a 500ft mast and a decent camera.. Alas our view was obscured by all the roving spectator yachts.

From Longueville we sailed past Darling Harbour to anchor near the fish market to do a little sightseeing..

Glenda doing what she does underwater when she sees fish..

Darling Harbour by land…

Hyde park.. Am I in London or Sydney?

Opera house with a little Kodak bend in it..

Anchored up with millions of other boats to watch the new years fireworks near Sydney Zoo.

The fireworks according to Kodak.. Now I know why Kodak went bankrupt..

What the fireworks really looked like.. Pretty awesome!

Leaving Sydney Harbour for broken bay and Pittwater on Jan 1st. My last sail with Sudden Stops. Boo hoo.. 🙁

Wonderful flat water sailing as we approached Pittwater.

Sudden Stops in the Royal Albert Yacht Club marina for a week. Here I removed the windvane, took all the stuff off the boat and gave it a good clean..

Leaving Sudden Stops on the yacht broker’s mooring. She is officially up for sale now.. anyone looking for 38ft performance cruiser or racer? Gonna miss her. Had an emotional farewell party for her before I left. We had some good times over the 6 years that I owned her. At least I am leaving her somewhere warm and nice, she can't complain 😉